


Before the Beginning

by whatadaze



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate POVs, F/M, Pre-Riverdale, high school fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-10-31 21:29:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10907832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatadaze/pseuds/whatadaze
Summary: Before the Riverdale Gang came together, their parents had a story of their own.Alternate POVs from different characters but mainly an Alice/FP Jones fic.





	1. The Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the product of fan theories, tumblr gifs/pics, and my post-college mind. The idea of badass Southside Alice and FP Jones stirred my shipper heart & I hope this fic stirs yours too!

**Alice**

The smoke coming from the tip of the cigarette resting between her fingers wafted through her cramped bedroom. 

Alice stared at the glowing ember before bringing it to her lips. After taking a long drag, another set of fingers grabbed the cigarette from her and brought it between his own lips. 

“This is the last time,” she said quietly, focusing on a piece of thread fraying at the end of her sheets.

The boy laying beside her blew out a puff of smoke before handing back the cigarette. 

“Last time for what?” he asked gruffly. 

“Forsythe-”

“ _FP_ ,” he corrected. 

Alice rolled her eyes. “This,” she said, motioning between the two of them—naked—in her bed. “It needs to stop. I have a boyfriend now.” 

She took a last puff of her cigarette and offered it back to him. FP shook his head and she let out a sigh before crushing it into her bedside ashtray. 

“You weren’t saying we should stop ten minutes ago,” he pointed out. 

Alice felt her face grow hot as the moments from earlier flashed through her mind. She could still feel the imprints from his fingernails embedded into her thighs. 

“I’m serious,” she said, finally taking a glance beside her. 

Just as she expected, FP wasn’t looking her way at all and instead, was already retrieving his boxers from the ground. He quickly pulled it on and stood up as he searched for the rest of his discarded clothes. 

“Forsy-,” she sighed. “ _FP._ You can’t come here again.” 

She wasn’t asking. 

He pulled on his shirt before finally turning to face her. She recognized the familiar mischievous glint in his blue eyes but before she could react, FP had already knelt back onto her bed and crashed his lips onto hers. 

Alice felt her body betray her as his familiar scent hypnotized her into kissing him back. 

FP slowly pulled away but she could still feel his breath mixing with hers. 

“Whatever you say,” he grinned, sending a quick wink before hopping over the bed and towards her bedroom window. 

“He’s probably passed out by now,” Alice muttered. “You can go out the front door.” 

FP had already pushed open her window and threw out his bag. “It’s more fun this way,” he said before jumping out. 

A harsh wind blew into her room, and Alice quickly wrapped her blanket around her shoulders, waiting to hear the rev of his motorcycle before getting up to close the window. 

* * *

Alice took a long shower after FP left. 

The warm water would have been enough to lull her back to sleep, but she knew that she needed to get ready. Today was the first day of school and Alice hadn’t expected FP to come knocking on her window in the middle of the night. 

When she first heard him outside her bedroom window, she decided to ignore him, but FP had a habit of being persistent. As she hid under her covers, Alice figured that maybe she’d have one last rendezvous before her senior year began. After she got FP out of her system, she could finally work towards her goal and fulfill the promise she made to herself five years ago. 

Alice straightened out her pleated skirt and fixed the pink headband on her head as she scanned her reflection for the last time. 

This was the year that everything would change. 

* * *

Alice opened up the doors to Riverdale High and unclenched her fists. 

She didn’t think she’d feel nervous as she approached the school, but now she thought her heart would leap out of her throat. Today, she would find out if she is the president of the Blue & Gold. Of course, her only competition was Elle Greenwood and to even _call_  her a competition was giving that girl too much credit. 

She waved at a few girls passing by but she didn’t make effort to stop and start mindless chit-chat. Frankly, she was already sick and tired of the halfhearted conversations between high school girls and it was only the first day of school. 

Alice quickly made her way to the Blue and Gold room and scanned the list of officers. She felt the corners of her lips turn up into a satisfied smirk as her eyes landed on what she was looking for. 

_President - Alice Smith_

“Congratulations,” a voice whispered into her ear. 

A wide grin spread across her face as she turned to look at her new boyfriend. 

“Thank you,” she said, placing a quick peck onto his cheek. 

“I knew you’d get it,” Hal replied, wrapping his arm around her. 

Alice sighed contently as she took note of how perfectly she fit beside him. Hal Cooper was just what she wanted for her senior year and exactly what she _needed_  to get herself out of the Southside. 

“I missed you,” she said. “Do you want to goto Pop’s after school?” 

Hal groaned. “I can’t. We’ve got our first practice today.”

Alice made a point to frown in disappointment, but she actually felt a bit relieved. Now that she was president of the Blue & Gold, she had _much_  work to do. Heaven knows the last president didn’t do _shit_  and the articles that were published were utter garbage. 

“Maybe tomorrow then,” she suggested. 

They made their way to her locker and Alice turned to fix the collar of Hal’s letterman jacket. 

“Thanks for walking me,” she whispered, her fingers lingering on the back of his neck. 

“Anything for my girlfriend,” he grinned. 

Alice carefully brought his face down to hers and captured his lips with her own. 

Hal had very soft lips and didn’t use too much tongue or teeth.

And whenever they kissed, she could smell his cologne and that was nice too. 

But that was all it was.

Nice. 

She slowly pulled away with a soft smile.

“I’ll see you at lunch?” Hal asked, his eyes flickering over her head. 

Alice followed his gaze and notices a group of boys on the football team walking their way. 

“Mhmm,” she muttered. 

Hal places a quick kiss on her forehead and said a quick goodbye before rushing down the hall to his teammates. 

“Hey Coop! Got yourself a new lady friend over the summer, huh?” 

Alice felt her lips curve into a smile as she heard Hal trying to hush his teammates. 

“A Southside chick?” another boy pointed out. “That’s a bit wild. Bet she’s not like other girls in bed." 

Alice quickly felt her smile drop as her grip on her locker door tightened. Ever since she entered Riverdale High, she made the upmost effort to hide where she came from. Unfortunately, living in a town as small as Riverdale where everyone knew everyone made it a bit difficult. 

Even then, Alice worked two part-time jobs so that she could afford the best clothes to blend in. She stared down at her pastel skirt and smoothed down its creases as she tried not to focus anymore on what the boys were saying.

Hal knew exactly where she came from and he didn’t seem to care. 

And that’s what made him so perfect. 

* * *

**Hal**

Hal shut his locker and stuffed his Calculus book into his bag. 

_“It isn’t some rebelling thing towards your parents, right? Does your dad know?”_

His best friend, Ethan, had asked him pressing questions once the rest of the guys left and frankly, Hal didn’t know _what_  had pushed him towards Alice Smith’s direction. 

Would his parents be happy he was dating someone from the Southside? 

Of course not. 

But Hal didn’t really care. Alice was top of her class, president of the Blue & Gold, and a River Vixen. If she wasn’t from the Southside, his parents would love her. They would even push him into marrying her for god’s sake. 

Hal knew best about not being proud of where one came from. He’s reminded of that every time he passes by Cliff Blossom in the halls.

This was his senior year. 

The year everything would change. 

He was a sure candidate for a football scholarship to Northwestern and with that, he can leave this shitty town and go off to college. He normally saw girlfriends as a distraction towards his goals, but Hal knew that Alice was different. 

Her blue eyes never lacked the motivation and ambition he had noticed during the beginning of the summer. It was so similar to his own.

And most of all, he knew that Alice wanted to leave too. 

* * *

“Now listen up gentlemen!” Coach Pittman yelled out. “The Homecoming game is three months away, but it’ll be here before you know it. You’re performance out there today? Pitiful! I don’t know what you men have been doing over the summer but it sure as hell hasn’t been towards improving your skills out there on the field!” 

Hal blinked away the sweat dripping into his eyes as he tried to focus on what the coach was saying. 

“We’ll be having practice everyday after school until the Homecoming game and I will hear _no_ complaining concerning the matter. Understood?” 

When the team mumbled their response, the coach repeated. “I said! Understood?” 

“Yes sir!” Everyone yelled out. 

The coach muttered a string of curses as he snatched his clipboard before storming into his office. Hal took that as a sign to finally stand up and get out of his sweaty jersey. 

“Hey Keller!” he called out. “Next time, try to _stay_  open why don’t you?” 

“Or you could learn to pass to your receiver Cooper,” the boy responded angrily. 

Hal felt his nostrils flare as he glared at his wide receiver. He was too tired to continue the fight and instead grabbed his towel and headed for the showers. 

As the hot water streamed down his back, Hal took a moment to go through the plays in his mind. While he would never admit it out loud, his concentration was off during practice.

He thanked his old man for that. 

When practice began, Hal never expected to see his father sitting on the bleachers, observing him. Hal raised his hand in a slight wave, but of course, his father didn’t respond. 

"What's your dad doing here?" Ethan asked.

Hal shrugged in response and tried to continue on with practice, but it was as if his father was boring holes into the back of his head the whole time. He knew that with his father showing up to his practice, something bad was bound to happen once he left the locker room.

With a heavy sigh, Hal shut off the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. He took his time putting on his clothes and gathering his belongings, but he knew that he had to leave the locker room sooner or later. 

Just as he expected, his father was waiting for him outside, a stern look plastered on his once handsome features. Hal wondered if his father was born with his eyebrows creased down the middle. He’d never seen anything else from him. 

“Son,” he said sternly. “We need to talk.” 

“About what?” 

His father began to walk down the hall and Hal followed close behind him as they exited the school doors. 

“Practice didn’t go as well as Coach Pittman hoped for, I reckon?” his father finally said. 

“It never is,” Hal replied, knowing full well his father had no interest in his football practice. 

“Mm,” his father brushed off some dust off his suit. “As you are probably aware, business at the Register is picking up.” 

Hal hiked his bag up to his shoulder but kept a tight grip.  

“I know you have been eyeing that football scholarship from Northwestern but I’m sure you know that your mother and I have different plans for you going forward,” he continued. “You know, the Register was started up by my grandfather, _your_ great-grandfather, before…before everything happened." Hal noticed a flash of anger flickered in his father's blue eyes but it left as quickly as it appeared. "And my father, _your_  grandfather, took over. It’s Cooper tradition to pass the business down and with you being our only child-”

“Dad,” Hal cut in. “With all due respect, I don’t have any plans of taking over. I have no interest in journalism and Coach basically told me that the scholarship is mine to have. I’m going to goto college and-”

His father clasped a hand onto his shoulder, his stern blue eyes finally looking down at him. 

“You aren’t aware of what you want, son,” he said. “We’ll discuss the matter in more detail at home. I just wanted you to know that you may want to reconsider your…involvement on the football team. Why don't you dip your toes into the world of journalism, starting with the Blue & Gold. It really is a fine organization.” 

Hal felt his mouth go dry.

He couldn’t believe what his father was saying to him. He had never thought to take over the Register and his parents had never mentioned anything to him. 

So the question Hal's mind drifted to was: _Why now?_

* * *

**FP**

“You weren’t at school today.” 

FP rolled out from under his mustang and smirked when he saw Fred Andrews standing above him. He dropped a folder beside him before dropping his bag and taking a seat. 

“The first day of school is a joke, Andrews,” FP scoffed, rolling back under the car. “Besides, it was the perfect day to fix up this beauty.” 

“I got your schedule and assignments for today,” Fred said. “You owe me one.” 

FP laughed. “Hand me the Phillip, would you?” 

He reached out his arm and felt Fred drop the tool into his hand. As he finished tightening in the last bit of screws, he finally rolled out and grabbed a nearby towel to wipe his face. 

The August heat was killer even as the sun began to set and he took a seat beside Fred before opening a cooler. 

“Want a beer?” he offered, already taking one out for his friend. 

Fred took it gratefully and popped off the cap. 

“To our last first day,” FP proclaimed, clinking his bottle with Fred’s. 

They both took a swig of the beer, grateful for something cold to battle against the heat. 

“So I saw something strange today,” Fred said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Alice was with Hal Cooper. They seemed… _friendly,_ to say the least.” 

FP downed the rest of his beer before reaching into the cooler to grab another. 

“Must be her new boyfriend,” he finally said. 

“Boyfriend? Alice Smith does boyfriends now?” Fred joked. 

FP shrugged his shoulders. “It’s cute that she’s trying,” he said. “But she’ll realize sooner or later that Southside trash like us can’t mingle with people like Cooper.” 

Fred glanced down at his watch.

“Shit,” he muttered. “I’ve gotta go. My dad's making me work at the site a couple of days a week. Starting today.” 

He finished his beer before chucking it into the trash. 

“Will you be at school tomorrow?” Fred asked. 

FP replied with another shrug.

“Suit yourself,” Fred said, picking up his bike from the end of the driveway. He sent a last wave as he picked up speed down the rest of the road and around the corner. 

FP glanced down at the beer in his hand, wondering when it had gone warm. He poured it down onto the patch of grass beside him and finally picked up the discarded folder from the ground. 

The first thing he saw was his schedule for the year. He smirked when he saw that he had Ms. Gringwald for remedial math once again. He’s surprised that he hadn’t led her to quit yet. 

Just as he was about to close the folder, a pink sticky note fell off from behind his schedule and onto his lap. 

Alice’s familiar handwriting was scrawled onto it and FP found his lips tug up into a small smile. 

_Meet me at the Blue and Gold room tomorrow. I’ve got a job for you._

_\- A.S._

He folded the note and shoved it into his pocket before standing up. He had some time to kill before his Pops and the rest of the Serpants would be out of the house. He quickly grabbed his keys and started up his motorcycle as he headed to the one place he knew would help him clear his mind. 

* * *

As FP pulled into Pop’s, he noticed that the parking lot was fairly empty despite it being almost dinner time. He spun his keys around his finger as he strolled into the diner. It was a stretch, but FP found himself scanning the area for a familiar head of wavy blonde hair.

He felt pleasantly surprised when he spotted Alice sitting in the corner booth—old copies of the Blue and Gold were scattered around the table and a pen was tucked behind her ear. She bit her lips in concentration and FP found himself smiling at the sight. 

His smile quickly fell when he noticed the boy approaching her booth with two milkshakes in his hand. 

“You look like a strawberry kind of girl,” Hal said, plopping the milkshake in front of her. 

“Thanks,” she replied with a smile. 

Her fingers traced the edge of the glass but she didn’t make a move to drink it. Hal took a seat in front of her as he took a sip of his own chocolate milkshake. 

FP found himself slowly approaching their booth and couldn’t explain the feeling that had begun to stir inside him. 

“Oh do you not like strawberry or-”

“Well Coop,” FP cut in. “She’s not really a milkshake drinker, really.” 

He grabbed the cherry from her milkshake and popped it into his mouth. 

“But I just _love_  strawberry,” he continued despite Alice’s harsh glare directed towards him. “Do you mind?” 

He pointed at the milkshake and ignored Alice’s protests as he took a long sip. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” she gritted. 

FP rolled his eyes as he set down the milkshake. “Can a guy not get a proper dinner around here? Not everything’s about you, you know.” 

It’s then that Hal finally interjected. “Well you’re here, aren’t you? You don’t need to be bothering us, Jones.” 

FP clenched and unclenched his fists but he knew that getting involved in a fight with Hal Cooper would be a waste of his time. 

“Just go, FP,” Alice finally said. “My boyfriend and I are on a date.” 

There it was again. 

That word. 

 _Boyfriend_. 

FP was never the type to really care what others thought of him, and while he knew that laughing would anger both Alice and her sorry excuse of a "boyfriend", he couldn't help himself. 

Both Hal and Alice seemed utterly confused by his response—Alice looking more angry than confused as FP continued to laugh. 

He wiped under his eyes before picking up the half empty milkshake and finishing it. He turned to face Alice, completely ignoring the boy sitting on the other side. 

“When you’re done with all this fake boyfriend-girlfriend ordeal, you know where to find me,” he said. 

FP spun around and stormed out of the diner, not feeling so hungry after all. 

* * *

**Alice**

She couldn’t believe it. 

How dare he come in here and act like _that_?

And the look on poor Hal’s face. 

He wouldn’t understand the strange relationship she had with FP and frankly, Alice didn’t want to explain it to him either. 

But the fact of the matter is, that whatever was going on between her and FP was now over. She couldn’t afford to succumb to her desires, especially now that her plans of getting out of this shithole town was now underway. 

“I’m sorry Hal,” she said once again. 

After they left the diner, Alice didn’t want Hal to drive her to her place and had told him she needed to fetch some papers for the Blue & Gold. 

That was twenty minutes ago. 

They were still sitting in the parking lot, and Alice didn't make any effort to leave his car. 

She gently grabbed Hal's hand and offered a soft smile. 

“FP likes to get under people’s skin,” she explained. “Don’t let him get to you, alright?” 

“Do you not want to be my girlfriend?” Hal finally asked. 

At his question, Alice straightened up in her seat and tightened her grip on his hand. “Of course I do!” 

“Then what was he-”

“Don’t take anything _he_  says to heart,” she said grimly. “I really like you Hal. And I was _so_ happy when you asked me to be you girlfriend. Really.” 

Alice squeezed his hand when she finally noticed his body relax. She scanned the lot to make sure it was empty before pulling herself onto Hal’s lap. He didn’t seem to protest and instead, rested his hands on her hips. 

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, tucking a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. 

Alice felt her heart swell at that and gently placed her lips on his. She gasped in surprise when Hal responded more forcefully than usual. 

It wasn’t anything bad really, and in fact, Alice was pleasantly surprised by it. 

She felt his hands drop from her hips and onto her thighs as he slowly crept under her skirt. She could tell he was being careful and frankly, she was growing impatient. 

Alice grabbed his wrist and helped his hands up to the top of her underwear. She smiled when she heard Hal groan at her sudden actions. 

“A-Are you sure?” he panted. 

She responded by shifting her head to nibble on the side of his neck and moaned when she felt him lightly pull her underwear down her hips. 

Alice lost her virginity when she was fifteen. 

To her, sex was simply an inevitable product of rushed desires and heated moments.

And she knew that what was happening between her and Hal was another one of those heated moments. 

But the difference was that he was her _boyfriend_. 

Alice never had sex with a boyfriend before. 

“I want you,” she gasped out. 

Hal placed a gentle hand on her cheek before bringing her lips down on his. The kiss this time was soft and sweet—much like the ones she was used to with him. But she knew that the soft and sweet moment was over when he pulled back. Alice noticed the intense hunger flash in his blue eyes and felt his desire pressing into her right thigh. 

Alice doesn’t remember when he had pulled down the rest of her underwear, just that he did. 

And when she felt him enter her, she tried not to think about how it felt different from the boy who had filled her just the night before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think!


	2. The Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me just say, wow! Thank you for everyone who left comments and kudos on the first chapter! It definitely helped keep my writing juices flowing and made me super eager to post the next chapter! I was originally going to post this on Sunday, but figured, "why not now?". So here ya go! :)

******Alice**

Alice knew Hal since she was eight years old. 

They were in the same third grade class, but Alice had never spoken to him until she entered high school.

Despite all that, they had spent almost six years in the same school and she figured that he at leastremembered her name. 

It wasn't until she sat down in freshman biology that she realized Hal had no clue who she was. 

In fact, the very first words he ever spoke to her were: "I've never noticed you before. Are you new to town?" 

Granted, it was also the first year she moved away from dressing in old jeans and a t-shirt and towards pastel skirts and cardigans. Even now, she didn’t recognize her own reflection at times. 

Fast forward to senior year and here she was, with Hal Cooper as her boyfriend.

Third grade Alice would have never imagined things to be the way it was now. 

She rested her head against Hal’s bare chest and closed her eyes as she listened to his still racing heart. She let herself rest for a few more seconds before finally pushing herself off his lap and back to the passenger seat. 

She slipped on her underwear and bra before reaching back to grab the rest of her clothes. 

“I should really head inside before Janitor Lindsay closes up,” she said, smoothing down her hair. 

Hal grabbed his own set of clothes and began to pull them on. “I’ll go in with you.” 

Alice shook her head. “No it’s okay. It’s getting late anyways. I’ll take the bus back.” 

“I’m not having my girlfriend-” 

“Hal” she cut in. “I’ve rode the bus _many_  times before. I”m not some little girl who needs protecting. Even _if_ I have a boyfriend now.” 

His shoulders sagged and after buttoning up the rest of her shirt, she reached over and placed a light kiss on his cheek. “I’ll call you as soon as I get home. I promise.” 

He nodded and watched as she sent him a last quick smile before exiting his car.  

She crossed the empty lot and turned around once more to wave goodbye. When she finally heard his car start up and drive away, Alice let out the breath she had been holding. 

She didn’t expect to have sex with Hal so soon, but realized that this may help her in the long run. This solidified their relationship status, right? Now Hal knew for sure how she felt about him. 

Alice glanced down at her watch and saw that it was half past nine, which meant that Janitor Lindsay left an hour ago. She also knew that her dad wouldn't be passed out until at _least_  eleven. 

She reached into her bag and pulled out her pack of cigarettes before taking a seat on the curb. It wasn't until she placed a cigarette between her lips that she realized she had left her lighter at home. With a heavy sigh, Alice chucked her cigarette along with the rest of her pack into the trash.

Alice figured it was finally time to quit anyway. 

* * *

**Hal**

Hal had been dreading going home ever since the conversation with his father. Luckily, he had a bit of a pleasant distraction keeping him from going back home. 

Hal forgot at times that Alice came from the Southside. It wasn’t until FP Jones strolled into the diner that Hal was crudely reminded of the fact. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that FP wanted Alice for himself. Probably some stupid “Southside sticking together” bullshit. Well Hal didn’t care for any of that, and judging from what had happened just moments earlier, Alice didn’t care much either. 

Hal felt a jolt of pleasure run down his spine as his mind raced with images of Alice on top of him. To his surprise, she had been the one taking charge and it was the first time he had been with someone like her. 

As he rolled into his driveway, Hal willed away any thoughts of Alice and replaced them with what was surely to come. His parents would sit him down and try to persuade him to forget about any thoughts of a scholarship or leaving Riverdale. He’d then find some way to retort their arguments and ignore the angry looks his father will surely send his way. 

He really wasn’t looking forward to any of it. 

Hal grabbed his bag and slowly trudged up to his front door. The light in the living room was on, so he knew that his parents would be waiting for him there. 

He opened the door and scanned the quiet hallway. 

“Son, you’re late,” his father’s voice boomed down the hall. 

Hal dropped his bag and slipped out of his shoes before making his way towards the living room. As expected, his parents were sitting in the living room at opposite ends of the room. 

He almost wondered if his parents had ever loved each other. Half the time they didn’t seem like they wanted to be in the same room.

“Sorry I’m late,” Hal said, leaning against the doorway. “I got caught up with something.” 

“Honey,” his mother sighed, patting the spot beside her. “Have a seat.” 

Hal reluctantly crossed the room and took the seat next to his mother. She placed a gentle hand on his back as his father let out a low gruff. 

“Hal,” his father finally spoke up. “About what I mentioned earlier. Your mother and I have plans to pass down the Register to you one day. Of course, you won’t have full control until after I retire, but we expect you to begin working for the company after you graduate.” 

Hal eyed his mother as she let out a sigh before taking her hand off his back. “I agree with your father. It’s only right for you to take over when the time comes and when it does, you need to be prepared. The only way to do so is to begin working for the Register as soon as possible.” 

“I know you may have had different plans in mind,” his father said. “But we know what’s best for you. The Register is what’s best for your future.” 

“And your father and I have always wanted what’s best for you,” his mother quickly joined in. 

Hal shot up from his seat. “If either of you guys ever wanted what’s best for me, you’d know that’s moving as far away as I can from this shitty town!” He turned towards his father and tried to ignore the ringing in his ears. “How come you’re mentioning this to me now, huh? Why hasn’t the subject of me taking over ever come up?”

“You will not speak to me in that tone young man,” his father ordered, slowly rising from his own seat. “My grandfather passed down this company to my father and he to me,” he explained again. “It is only right that it continue to be passed down to Cooper blood. It’s what your grandfather would’ve wanted.” 

“What he would’ve wanted?” Hal repeated. “How the hell would you know that when he had been _dead_ before you were even born? You don’t want what’s best for me. If you did, you would let me get the scholarship at Northwestern and you would let me leave.” 

Hal had enough of discussing the matter and before he said anything else he’d regret, he stormed out the living room and up to his room.  

* * *

Hal knew it was a dramatic exit. 

A stereotypical, cliche, and dramatic exit. 

And he also knew he’d pay for it tomorrow. 

But for now, he was too angry to care about the consequences. 

He stared up at the dark ceiling as he tried to make out his parents’ muffled conversation down below. Judging from his father’s tone, he knew that his mother wouldn’t get much say in the matter. 

Deep inside, Hal knew that his father would get his way. 

He always did. 

Hal jolted out of his thoughts when his bedroom phone began to ring. He quickly reached over to his bedside table and picked up the phone.

“Hello?” 

“Hal,” Alice’s voice sounded from the other end. “Just wanted to let you know I made it back in one piece.” 

“That’s good,” he replied. 

They were both silent and the only sound he hear was her steady breathing. 

“Is everything alright? You don’t sound to well,” she finally said. 

“Everything’s good,” he assured her. “Just feeling beat from practice...it’s been a long day.” 

“A good one though I hope,” she said. 

He could practically hear her smiling over the phone. 

“Well it started up a bit shitty but yeah, towards the end it got a _lot_  better,” he said with a smile of his own. 

Hal noted that her laugh sounded nice over the phone.

“Well I hope you have more good nights in the nearby future.” 

“I hope so too,” he agreed softly. 

He heard the stairway creak and knew his parents were heading to their own bedroom. 

“I gotta go, Alice,” he said quickly. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Alright,” she sighed. “Goodnight Hal.” 

“Goodnight.” 

* * *

**FP**

FP leaned against the lightpost before reaching for his lighter. He cupped his hand to block out the wind as he lit up the cigarette between his lips. 

Light shined out her bedroom window so he knew she was still awake, and judging from the flashing lights in the living room, he knew that her dad had passed out again with the TV on. 

Nothing new there. 

FP didn’t plan on driving down this road, but when he saw Alice getting off the city bus, his body had a mind of its own as he began to slowly follow her. He watched as her room eventually went dark, and remained outside until there was almost nothing left of his cigarette.  

* * *

There was no sign of his father’s bike or any of the other Serpants when he finally returned home. FP wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of them tonight. 

As he entered the house, the living room was littered with cans of beer and the ends of cigarette butts cluttered the ashtray sitting on the coffee table. 

_Nothing new here either_ , he mused. 

FP threw his keys onto the kitchen counter before heading to his bedroom. Despite the rest of the house being a shitty mess, his room was surprisingly clean. He had got into the habit when he was young—wanting to separate his room from the rest of the house, just as he had tried his best to separate himself from his dad. 

He collapsed onto his bed and stared up at the dark ceiling.

It didn’t feel like it was just the night before when he was in another bed, one much warmer than his own. 

As his thoughts drifted to a certain blonde and the night they shared together, he finally realized that it wasn’t like any of the other times they had slept together. 

Of course at the time, he hadn’t noticed anything different. 

_"Eager, are we?" he grinned._

_"Get in," she whispered, already grabbing his collar and pulling him inside._

_Alice quickly shut her window and gasped when she turned back around. FP's lips were immediately on hers and she wrapped her legs around him as he easily lifted her up from the ground. It was a battle of tongue and teeth as they made their way to her bed._

_"Off," she mumbled, unbuckling his belt before swiftly pulling down his pants._

_"Slow down, baby," he laughed. "We have all night."_

_Alice shut him up with her lips as she lifted his shirt off him. He slipped a hand underneath her sheer nightgown and groaned when he realized she was wearing nothing underneath. He was so consumed by her bare skin, that he hadn't noticed she had already reached over to her bedside drawer to retrieve a condom._

_"Okay, Ace-" he groaned. "W-Wait-"_

_"No time," she mumbled, grabbing him with her soft hand and swiftly slipping on the condom before falling back onto the mattress. "Hurry. Do it."_

_FP didn't know why she was in such a rush, but the throbbing sensation underneath soon took over his thoughts as he hovered over. Her blue eyes stared up at his and she lifted a hand to brush back a piece of hair that fell between his eyes. The moment felt so intimate—more than the usual fucking that they did._

_And it was in that moment that he finally entered her._  

* * *

**Fred**

The room was too bright when he woke up. 

Fred shot out of his bed and slipped on any piece of clothing he could find scattered around his bedroom floor. He quickly ran a hand through his hair and grabbed his bag before bolting out of his room and down the stairs. 

He could hear his dad banging around in the kitchen while he took a seat at the bottom of the steps to lace up his sneakers. 

“Breakfast?” his dad shouted out.

“Can’t!” Fred yelled back. “Running late!” 

Before his dad could reply, he had already ran out of the house and hopped onto his bike. Despite setting an alarm, Fred knew why he had woken up late. 

After coming back home from his dad’s construction site, he felt as if a truck had run him over. It didn’t help that he had an intense practice that day either. Fred wasn't sure how he was going to balance out the two, especially now that Coach was adding more practice days during the week. 

By some unknown miracle, Fred was able to avoid getting hit by a car on his way to school _and_ he arrived just as the warning bell rang. As he got off to lock up his bike, the morning announcements started up, but it was the familiar sound of FP’s motorcycle pulling up that caught his attention. 

“Guess I’m not the only one running late this morning,” FP noted calmly. 

Compared to Fred, FP never minded being late. In fact, it always seemed as if he made it his mission to never be on time. 

“I can thank football practice and my dad’s construction site for kicking my ass last night. What’s your excuse?” Fred scoffed, grabbing his bag. 

He waited for FP to catch up as he took his time cutting off the engine. 

“If you must know," he grinned. "I had a _very_  nice dream last night which made it a bit difficult to wake up this morning." 

Fred glanced down at his watch, not really interested in what that dream was about and instead, more focused on where the minute hand was quickly approaching. “Shit,” he muttered, quickening his steps. “Second bells about to ring. I’ll catch you later!” 

He broke out into a light jog as he rushed down the hall and to his first class.

* * *

“School lunch,” Fred noted, plopping his tray onto the table. “Something I certainly didn’t miss over the Summer.” 

FP was scarfing down the contents of his own tray. “Better than starving.” 

Fred picked at the unknown contents before shoving his tray towards FP. 

“You sure?” he asked. 

Fred nodded at his friend and watched as he began to eat up his food as well. 

“Hi Freddie,” a voice whispered into his ear. 

Fred smiled as he looked up at his girlfriend standing above him. 

“And that’s my cue to leave,” FP announced, gathering the trays before hiking up his bag. “See you later, Andrews. Hopefully without little Miss. Vixen over here.” 

Hermione ignored his comment and instead handed Fred a flyer before taking a seat beside him. 

“Homecoming Queen,” she grinned. “I’m running. And of course, you'll be Homecoming King. We’re the perfect pair.” 

Fred looked at the flyer and suppressed a groan. “You know this isn’t my kind of thing...” 

“But it’s _mine_ ,” she cut in. “And my last year to win the title. But I don’t want to win without _you_  as my king.” She grabbed his hand, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. “ _Please_?” 

Hermione’s big doe eyes are what eventually drags him into agreeing to her idea and she squeals in delight. 

“Thank you, Freddie,” she said, squeezing his hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything!”  

* * *

**Alice**

Alice was grateful for her study hall period. 

It gave her extra time to work on the Blue and Gold. She had so much to plan, and her staff—while I’m sure they mean well—don’t seem as invested in the paper as she was. 

While they wanted to keep the "Dear Abby” column, Alice felt that the paper was worth more than some way for girls to complain about their boyfriends or friend drama.

Alice wanted to write about things that mattered. Things that could change how people think and generate discussion. 

Unfortunately, nothing worth discussing seemed to happen in Riverdale. 

She was so consumed by the papers on her desk that she didn’t notice someone standing by the door. It wasn’t until he plopped down on the seat in front of her that she final looked up. 

“So what’s the job?” FP asked, studying the bed of his nails as he spoke. 

Alice opened her desk drawer and pulled out the camera issued to the Blue and Gold by the school. She gently placed it in front of him and cleared her throat.

“You’ve always been a good photographer,” she noted. “And you know how to develop pictures. The Blue and Gold needs someone who can do both those things. I thought you might be a good candidate for the job.” 

FP scoffed. “Sorry, I don’t really do extracurriculars.” 

“And how do you expect to goto college without any? You know they look at those,” she said. 

At the mention of college, FP’s dark brows drew close together. “And what makes you think that that’s what I had in mind? To goto _college_?” 

“It's not?” Alice crossed her arms. “So...you’re wanting to stay in Riverdale and then what? Follow in your lovely father’s footsteps and join the _Serpants_?” 

FP slammed his hands on her desk and quickly glanced around. “Don’t say that around here,” he whispered. “What the hell are you thinking?” 

Alice could see the fear in his eyes which caught her off guard. Maybe she went a little too far, but picturing FP going down that path frustrated her. 

She uncrossed her arms and dropped her hands onto her lap. “Will you help me or not, _Forsythe_?” 

If anyone else observed FP in this moment, they would think that he’d reject her request. His flared nostrils and clenched fists were indication enough. 

But Alice knew him well enough to believe otherwise. She knew he’d say yes. 

She knew it in the way he kept eying the camera on her desk, and how his dark eyes were void of the anger it had just a few seconds ago. Despite his dark and brooding appearance, she knew FP would agree to help her.

He always did. 

“What do I need to take?” he finally asked. 

Alice straightened up in her seat, a wide smile taking over her pretty features. 

“I’ll let you know some time tomorrow,” she explained. “Just take the camera for now and get familiar with it. But _please_ don’t damage it. It’s school property after all.” 

FP grabbed the camera and studied it in his hands before shoving it into his bag. He abruptly stood up from his seat just as the bell signaling the end of fifth period rang through the air. 

“You leaving or what?” 

Alice began packing up her things and placed the papers into her file cabinet. “I will in a minute.” 

He shrugged his shoulder and made to leave the room when Alice stopped him. 

“Thank you, FP,” she said, sending him a soft smile. 

“Anything for you, Ace.”

* * *

Alice glanced down at her watch, waiting for her last period to come to an end. Every second felt like an hour as the voice of her history teacher droning on about the civil war echoed in the dull classroom. 

She didn’t want to take AP US History her senior year, but she knew that the more AP courses she could tack on to her transcript, the better her college applications would be. 

Before she knew it, the last bell finally rang, catching Mrs. Harper completely off guard as she quickly reminded everyone of tonight’s homework assignment. 

Alice quickly shoved her textbook into her bag before pushing her way through the funneling crowd forming near the doorway. She had urgent Blue and Gold business to attend to and couldn’t afford to be late. 

While the rest of the students in the hallways were on their way to exit the building, Alice walked in the opposite direction towards the administrative offices. 

“Hello Ms. Leeland,” she said with a smile. “Is Principal Weatherbee still in?” 

The secretary nodded her head and pointed to his office. 

“Thank you.” 

She knocked on the door and heard a faint “come in” before opening the door. Principal Weatherbee was on the phone and held up a finger while motioning for Alice to take a seat. Alice nodded and slowly sat down, trying not to look like she was eavesdropping on his conversation. 

After all, that’s not why she was here. 

Principal Weatherbee arrived at Riverdale High just two years ago.

He was young and fresh-faced—something unusual to witness in this town. Alice liked the arrival of the new principal. Of course, the death of their last principal, Principal Crowley, came as a shock to all.

They said it was a heart attack.

He was forty-three.

“Well I do apologize Mrs. Blossom, but I cannot remove your son from his class just because he doesn’t get along with a certain classmate. If that was the case, I’d be moving everyone’s schedule around,” he stated, rubbing his forehead. “Yes, Yes I _do_ understand your family is highly influential in this town but-” 

“Mhmm,” he sighed. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do. Uh-huh. Goodbye.” He set down his phone and finally faced Alice with a tired smile. “Now what I can do for you Miss...?” 

“Smith. Alice Smith,” she reminded him. “The new president of the Blue and Gold?” 

“Ah yes,” he said, straightening in his seat. “I’ve actually been planning on speaking with you regarding the school paper.” 

“You have?” 

He nodded his head. “The school has decided that this year would be the final year of the Blue and Gold. We feel as if-”

“What?” she asked, her brows drawing together. “Wait, how can you just get rid of the Blue and Gold? It’s been a part of Riverdale High since the school began! It’s _history_!” 

“I understand your concern, but it’s in the school’s best interest,” he further explained. “With the board cutting some of the school’s funds for this year, we were going to implement the change for _this_ school year but I decided to wait until next year instead.” 

“I just-” Alice tried to ignore the ringing in her ear as she clenched her fists. She could feel her nails embedding into her palm. “Why the Blue and Gold? Why not...why not the Chess Club or the _Comic Club_ for god’s sake! The Blue and Gold is a piece of history. It’s a way for students to engage in current events and facilitate discussion! It’s...It’s...”

“It’s with my understanding that the Blue and Gold hasn’t been very successful the past few years. Students nowadays are more consumed with other sources of entertainment,” the principal stated. 

“But what if I can turn it around?” Alice finally said, shifting in the leather seat. “I’m president now and I have a lot of great ideas moving forward.” 

Principal Weatherbee removed his glasses and let out a tired sigh. “We’ll see how the paper is by the end of this semester and decide then.”

Alice felt a surge of hope course through her. 

“But,” he continued. “I can’t promise you anything. Do you understand?” 

Alice nodded and thanked the principal as she made her way out of his office. It wasn’t until she reached his doorway that she remembered her original reason for her visit. 

“Oh, Principal Weatherbee?” she said, turning to face him again. “I was actually hoping to interview you for the Blue and Gold. Gain your perspective on the rapid changes seen amongst teenagers, especially as a new decade approaches. I’d just _love_ to hear about your academic career thus far.” 

Journalism was all about connections, and Alice had a talent when it came to giving people what they wanted.

The moment Principal Weatherbee stepped into Riverdale High, she knew that he was a proud man who reveled in recognition. This was the first step in her plan to start a strong foundation with the principal. She knew how much the late Principal Crowley despised her and anyone else who came from the Southside. But with Principal Weatherbee by her side, she hoped to gain an upper-hand of sorts. 

And as Principal Weatherbee gladly agreed to her interview, Alice knew that she had him right where she wanted.

* * *

**Hal**

Coach announced before the start of practice that no one was to get water until after a set of 50 40s. 

With the high temperatures and zero wind, someone was bound to puke. 

Another was probably going to pass out. 

Normally, Hal would’ve complained. 

He would've tried to persuade Coach that this was inhumane. 

That it was unreasonable. 

But Hal found the pain of running under the blazing sun to be a good distraction against everything that had been filling his mind as of late. 

It helped him concentrate and keep focus. 

So, he ran. 

He ran and ran until he thought he was going to puke, and then he ran some more. 

And by the time practice was finally over, while everyone ran towards the water station, Hal Cooper finally collapsed.  

Told you someone was probably going to pass out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few chapters written/planned out, but I'm not sure how long I want this to be...
> 
> Question of the day: Shorter frequent chapters or longer less frequent chapters? Let me know!


	3. The Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Hi! 
> 
> I posted this a couple of days ago but took it down soon after because I wasn't satisfied with it. I felt that it was too short and ended too abruptly so I tweaked it a bit and made it a little bit longer. Hope you enjoy it xx

**Fred**

Everyone had been too consumed by rehydrating themselves at the water station to notice that Hal had passed out.

Fred probably wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t missed the trashcan after chucking his empty cup. He yelled out for someone to help him as he ran over to his unconscious teammate.

“Hey Cooper,” he said, trying to lift up his body. “You okay, bud?”

A few seconds later, Keller ran up to Hal’s other side and the two of them attempted to lift him up from the ground. Despite being obviously annoyed by Hal’s predicament, Coach instructed them to take him to the infirmary.

Fred hoped his legs didn’t give out before they got there.

“Coach Pittman is psychotic this season,” he gritted, adjusting Hal’s weight against him as they walked off the field.

“That I can agree with you on, Andrews,” Keller replied.

Sweat dripped down both their faces as they finally reached the school building. The blast of the A/C seemed to rejuvenate Fred’s body and gave him enough strength to finish making his way to the infirmary.

Its door was wide open and the nurse bolted out of her seat at the sight of the unconscious boy. She quickly ushered them towards an empty bed where they carefully laid him down.

“Is there anyone I can call?” the nurse asked them.

Fred eyed Keller who only responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

The nurse sighed. “Well fortunately, he only seems to be dehydrated. He should wake up once we get some fluids in him,” she explained. “You boys can go on ahead.”

Fred nodded as he glanced over at Hal. Despite growing up together and being on the same football team the last four years, Fred realized he didn’t really know much about Hal Cooper at all.

* * *

**Alice**

This would’ve been the most perfect time for a cigarette.

Too bad she threw out her last pack the other night.

Quitting was harder than she thought it would be.

Alice found herself fidgeting in her seat more than usual, her fingers rapidly tapping on her lap. She tried not to focus on her annoying cravings and instead, tried to throw her mind into something else.

And that something was, of course, the Blue and Gold.

Alice sat at her desk in the Blue and Gold room, but that was all she did.

She sat and sat, watching the minute hand of the clock hanging on the wall go by.

She walked out of Principal Weatherbee’s office more confused and frustrated than she felt going in. Not only did she have to worry about how the paper would move going forward, but she also had to come up with something so spectacular that the school would have no other choice but to keep the Blue and Gold around.

Alice was smart, but even this wouldn't come easy for her.

She took out her notepad and pencil and laid it down on her desk.

That’s progress, right?

Unfortunately, her frustration only grew more the longer she stared at the empty notepad. Just as she thought about giving up, an idea for an article popped into her mind. Something that had intrigued her—and probably the rest of the people in Riverdale—for as long as she could remember.

Because while nothing ever really seemed to happen in Riverdale, there was one mystery that had surrounded the town for almost fifty years.

And fortunately, Alice had access to the one person who may have some answers.

* * *

After several hours of planning, Alice finally decided to call it day. As she stepped out of the room to lock up, she didn’t expect to see Fred Andrews sitting out on a hallway bench.

She noticed he was in his practice jersey, sweat and dirt coating his face.

“Hello Fred,” she called out, already making her way towards him.

The boy quickly looked up but relaxed when he realized who was approaching him.

“Alice,” he greeted. 

He straightened up in his seat and leaned his head against the wall.

“What are you still doing here?” she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

Fred arched a dark brow as he watched the girl take a seat beside him.

“I can ask you the same thing,” he replied.

Alice pointed over at the Blue and Gold room she had just left out of. “I’m the editor, remember? That means I have the unfortunate responsibility of clocking hours outside of school.”

Fred scoffed and tugged at his jersey. “And I have the unfortunate responsibility of attending practice after school despite the hellish heat.”

Alice scrunched her nose at the smell of sweat and dirt lingering off him.

“I don’t know why boys insist on involving themselves in such a rabid sport,” she said, examining the bed of her nails. “I keep telling Hal he should quit but-”

“Hal...” Fred remarked, rising up from the bench. “Shit, I forgot you guys were dating now.”

“What?” Alice crossed her arms. “Surprised that someone like Hal Cooper would take interest in someone like me? I’ll have you know-”

“Shut up Alice,” Fred said, grabbing her arm to pull her up. “Hal passed out during practice today. He should still be at the infirmary. I haven’t seen him leave yet.”

“He what?” Alice gasped, concern filling her features.

She wondered why Fred of all people was still waiting on him. She wasn’t aware that they had a relationship that existed off the field.

Fred still had a firm grasp on her arm as they walked down the hall and Alice pulled it out with a huff of frustration.

“Oh, sorry,” he quickly mumbled, running a hand through his hair. “The nurse said it’s just dehydration but...” Fred sighed. “I’m not even sure if anyone came to get him. I’ve heard about his parents and they certainly don’t seem like the type to drop everything to pick him up. I was waiting to see if he was okay enough to drive back home.”

Alice felt her lips turn up. “Well I must say, I’m surprised to see this side of you.”

Fred glanced over at her and scowled. “I-I’m not...He’s the best quarterback we have,” he said, his face turning a soft shade of red. “I didn’t want him to fucking die.”

Alice rolled her eyes but felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest as they finally approached the infirmary. She quickly placed a hand on the golden knob, ready to turn it and be faced with an unconscious Hal on the other side, but as her hand turned the knob, her brows drew together in frustration.

The door was locked.

Hal was gone.

* * *

**Hal**

His right arm still throbbed from when he haphazardly pulled out the IV.

The nurse had insisted for Hal to call someone to come get him, but he knew that his father wouldn’t bother and his mother would overreact. After assuring the nurse about a million times that he felt fine and flashing her his never-failing Hal Cooper smile, the nurse reluctantly let him go.

That was almost thirty minutes ago.

His car still sat in the middle of the empty student lot and while Hal had been planning on driving back home, he found it hard to start the ignition and be on his way.

He really didn’t want to go home.

Hal took a few deep breaths as he leaned his head back against his seat.

He was normally smart about controlling how much energy he exerted during practice, especially on a hot day like this one. At the time, pushing himself felt good. It helped his mind forget about his father’s words and his mother’s silence from last night.

Unfortunately, Hal knew that no matter how long he prolonged going back home, that he’d ultimately end up having to walk through those doors and face his parents again.

With a reluctant sigh, he turned the keys in the ignition and heard his car roar into life. His movements were slow and steady and as he finally looked up at the rearview mirror to reverse, he noticed a very familiar blonde exiting the school’s front doors.

Hal wasn’t surprised to see Alice still here despite school ending hours ago. What he was surprised to see was Fred Andrews following behind her, still in his practice jersey as they both walked out in the middle of what seemed to be an intense conversation.

He wasn’t used to seeing a deep scowl on his girlfriend’s usually composed, pretty face. Hal supposed this was why he had made no effort to move as he continued to observe the two continuing their conversation.

Alice glanced down at her watch and seemed to mumble something just as Fred finished unlocking his bike from the bike rack. He motioned for her to hop on the back but Alice remained glued to the pavement, watching the boy with an unamused look.

Fred made an attempt to grab her arm but before he could, Alice rolled her eyes and carefully took a seat on the back of his bike. Hal watched his girlfriend look down at Fred’s dirtied practice jersey with distaste before reluctantly grabbing onto the ends for support.

While to anyone else their relationship may seem almost non-existent besides being classmates, Hal knew that Alice wouldn’t accept a ride from just anyone.

No, the exchange between the two was something that seemed to be quite familiar for them. Like it was something they had done many times before.

And it was then that Hal remembered once again where Alice came from. That she wasn’t from around here and that she grew up in the Southside. She had a whole past Hal didn’t know about and the thought frustrated him.

As he watched Fred’s feet kick off the ground and pedal away from the school grounds, Hal decided that he would make an effort to really learn about his girlfriend—the good and the bad. 

* * *

**FP**

The door chimed as he stepped out of the convenience store.

FP fumbled with the pack of cigarettes in his hand and quickly tore off the plastic.

The sun was beginning to set, hues of red and orange painting the sky.

FP walked over to his motorcycle and leaned against the seat as he lit the cigarette between his fingers. He took a deep drag, his eyes flickering shut as the smoke filled his lungs. Today had been a particularly boring day. After his meeting with Alice, he decided that he had enough school for the day and drove to the Twilight drive-in.

Of course, nothing was playing at the time, but he had managed to sneak in to the projection booth with a couple of beers in tow. After downing the first can, FP aimed it towards the trash bin and with a flick of his wrist, it flew across the room. He watched as the can bounced off the rim of the bin before landing onto his abandoned book bag.

It was then that he remembered the camera Alice had given him. FP reached across the floor and dragged the bag towards him. He pulled out the camera, and studied it in his hands.

It was an older model but still a lot nicer than the one he had back home. FP found himself smiling as he remembered the look on Alice’s face when she asked him to help her.

Who would have ever thought?

Alice Smith would one day ask FP Jones for help.

He was surprised she even remembered his interest in photography. It was something he had confessed after a post-sex haze.

_“Why have we grown up together all these years and I don’t even know your favorite color?” she asked, leaning up onto her elbows._

_FP crushed the end of his cigarette before turning to face her._

_“And why is that important?” he asked, amusement in his eyes._

_Alice shrugged, blush creeping up her neck as she realized she had broken one of his rules._

_No unnecessary chatter._

_FP shifted in her bed to stare up at her cracked ceiling, placing his hands behind his head._

_“Grey.”_

_Alice laughed as she mimicked his position._

_“Why am I not surprised?” she replied, a smile in her voice. “A dreadfully boring color for a dreadfully boring boy.”_

_“Me?” FP smirked. “Boring? Never.”_

_“Oh yeah?” she scoffed. “Name one interesting thing about you. And your stupid motorcycle doesn’t count.”_

_He pursed his lips in thought, wondering if he should simply tell her the guitar like he did with everyone else. After all, he was quite good at it. But for some reason, FP found himself admitting the one thing he had never told anyone._

_“Pictures,” he said, his voice coming out much quieter than he had intended._

_Alice eased herself back up again, a genuine smile on her lips. “Like photography?” she asked._

_He glanced over at her and nodded his head in reply._

_He had never told anyone about his secret hobby. It was something he had kept inside for as long as he could remember._

_The hobby came to him by surprise when he found a small cardboard box inside a coat closet. When he opened it, he quickly realized it was a box of his mom’s things._

_FP had always assumed his pops had thrown out every last bit of her belongings and yet, this had been sitting inside the closet for god knows how long._

_He assumed it was something important._

_Or maybe it was an unfortunate oversight on his pops’ part._

_Either way, when FP was ten years old, he had carried the box back to his room and after rifling through a few books and several used lipsticks, he had found a small camera nestled in the bottom._

_It wasn’t anything fancy, but judging from his mom’s initials etched into the side of the camera, he guessed this was one of her prized possessions._

_His pops never talked about his mom nor did FP ever ask about her, b_ _ut finding this camera gave him a piece of his mother he never thought he’d have._

_“Well, I think that’s very nice,” Alice said, pulling him out of his thoughts._

_FP blinked up at the ceiling, trying to refocus on the conversation._

_This meaningless post-sex conversation._

_He lifted himself onto his elbows and turned to face her._

_Her bed was not the biggest bed in the world, and their faces were only inches apart._

_He could feel their breaths intertwining and he brushed a piece of her hair back before resting his hand on the nape of her neck. Her skin was still sticky with sweat and he began to gently rub his thumb on the sensitive spot under her ear._

_He watched as her eyes fluttered shut, knowing that this particular spot was one of her favorites. He took this moment as a chance to bring their lips together. It only took a few seconds for Alice to part her lips and coax his tongue with her own._

_FP let her take control of the kiss as she slowly fell onto her back before wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled back slightly to kiss the corner of her lips and slowly made his way down to her neck._

_“Round two?” he asked, his lips continuing its descent. He placed a languid kiss onto her shoulder before finally stopping at the top of her breasts. He felt himself harden when she pushed his head down further so that he could latch his lips onto her nipple._

_Her breasts were nothing like he was used to. Much better than any of the other girls' he had been with. Of course, he didn't tell Alice that. Instead, he showed her._

_After a few months of this arrangement, he learned exactly what made the girl lying beneath him come undone._

_And nothing brought him more pleasure than pleasuring her._

_Her tight grip on his shoulders._

_Her stifled moans._

_All were her way of telling him to never stop and to keep on going._

* * *

When FP drove up to his house, he immediately spotted his driveway littered with some of the serpents' bikes. 

He could hear music thumping from inside and knew that his house would be filled with drunken men. 

After parking his bike by the curb, FP slipped in through the back door, hoping to avoid his pops and the rest of the gang. 

Unfortunately, he failed.

After throwing his jacket onto the kitchen counter, he immediately found himself headlocked and the smell of booze filled his nose. 

"Well look who it is! FP number two is in the house!" 

FP grabbed onto the man's arm and pulled himself out from the chokehold. 

"Chowder, my man," he said, trying his best to not knock the drunken grin off the man's face. 

I mean, his name was  _Chowde_ _r_ for god's sake. 

"Come on boy," Chowder slurred, shoving a bottle of tequila into his hand. "Have a drink. You look like you need one." 

FP set the bottle down on the counter and scratched the back of his neck. 

"Eh, maybe next time," he said. "Got school and all tomorrow." 

Chowder scoffed, reaching behind him to grab the bottle. "More for me then." 

FP watched the man take a long swig but quickly stepped aside after hearing a crash sound from the living room. 

A string of curses followed the crash and FP was able to make out his pops' drunken slurs as he yelled at whoever was the cause of the sound. Before things could escalate even further, FP grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. 

"Hey where you goin' number two?" Chowder shouted. 

FP waved a careless hand in the air before slipping back into the darkness. 

He wasn't really in the mood to clean up after the serpents tonight. 

* * *

**Alice**

The lights from the television outside shined through the crack underneath her bedroom door.  

Alice slowly opened the door, trying her best to avoid the loud creaks that usually came from its hinges. She could make out her dad's arm hanging limply from the torn-up couch, and a bottle of whiskey laying on his chest.

Like clockwork, he was out.

She carefully shut the door and walked over to her bedside table. She picked up the phone and dialed Hal's number. 

After a few rings, she heard a click on the other side, followed by a soft hello.

"Hal?"

She heard some shuffling sounds before Hal's voice re-emerged.

"Alice?" he said quietly. "What is it? Is everything okay?"

Alice took a seat on the edge of her bed. "I should be asking you that," she replied. "I ran into Fred after school today. He said you passed out during practice. I was worried sick!"

She twisted the cord around her finger.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "But it wasn't anything serious. It was hot as hell outside and I was dehydrated. End of story." 

"But-" 

"Not buts Alice," he cut in. "I don't want to talk about it anymore." 

Alice unwound the cord around her hand.

"But you're sure you're alright?" she asked. 

"Positive." 

A few moments of silence passed between them, but neither one of them wanted to say goodbye.

"So-"

"I was thinking-" 

Alice let out a shaky laugh. "You first," she urged, settling back into her bed. 

"Well..." he began. "Homecoming's coming up." 

The mention of the school dance definitely caught her interest as she began to fiddle with the cord again. 

"You're going with me, right?" he asked. 

Alice laughed. "Of course I am," she replied. "You're my  _boyfriend_." 

"I'm still not used to hearing you say that," he said softly. 

She could hear the smile in his voice. 

"Well get used to it." 

"Some of the guys were planning a small get together before the dance," Hal explained. "Nothing too serious. You in?" 

Alice thought about the animalistic boys on the football team that Hal was most definitely referring to, and she dreaded the thought of being around them for more than five seconds. But for some strange reason, Hal considered them his friends, and whatever Hal deemed important, Alice would too. 

"Yeah, sure," she replied. "Sounds fun." 

"Really?" 

"Mhmm," she said, her eyes glancing over at her bedroom window. 

A flickering of lights flashed through her curtains and she got off her bed to inspect it. 

"Shit," she mumbled as she immediately noticed the familiar motorcycle parked in front of her home. 

"What's wrong?" Hal sounded from the other end. 

Alice quickly shut her curtains and turned off her bedside lamp. 

"Nothing," she said softly. "Hal, I've got to go. I have to get to school early tomorrow." 

"A-Alright..." 

"But I'll see you before first period?" she asked quickly, her eyes glued to her window. 

She knew that in any second, someone would be knocking on the other side. 

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Hal replied. "Goodnight Alice." 

"Goodnight." 

Alice quickly hung up the phone and climbed into her bed. She hoped that FP would think she's already asleep and go away. 

As expected, three quiet raps sounded from the bedroom window, and Alice found herself peeking above her comforter. She could make out his form despite the window curtains. A few seconds later, he knocked again, a little louder this time. 

"Alice," FP said, his voice sounding a bit amused. "I know you're awake." 

She had specifically told him that what they had was over, but really, it was her fault for hoping that FP would actually listen to her. 

"Any louder and your dad will probably wake up," he warned. 

Alice glanced over at her bedroom door, knowing that her dad would not only kill her, but FP as well if he woke up from his slumber. With a reluctant sigh, Alice threw off her comforter and stomped over to the window. She opened up her curtains and found FP leaning against her window, a smug smile on his face. 

"What are you doing here?" she gritted out.

His eyes roamed down her body, and it was then that she realized she was only in her nightgown. 

She crossed her arms, trying her best to cover up her chest as she waved at him to explain himself. 

"Aren't you gonna let me in?" he asked. 

"No, I'm not." 

He pursed his lips as he stared down at her, making her feel even angrier. 

"If that's all that you came for, then goodnight," she said, grabbing the curtain. 

Just as she was about to close them shut, FP slammed a hand onto the windowpane. 

"Wait," he said, his voice turning more serious. 

Alice tightened her hold on the curtain, but didn't make a move to close it. 

"I can't go home," he finally explained. "My pops has the guys over and you know how they can get sometimes."

Alice let go of the curtain, which he took as a sign to go on.

"I just need a place to crash for tonight," he said, raising his arms in defense. "No funny business, I swear." 

She knew she would regret her decision later, or maybe she wouldn't. 

What she _did_ know was how the serpents could get and how much pressure they placed on FP to drop out of school to join them. Despite the fact that he annoyed her to no end, she also didn't want to see him going down that path. 

Before she could change her mind, Alice opened up her window and stepped aside. As FP jumped inside, she could see the familiar smug smile returning on his face but it was already too late to throw him back out. FP had already kicked off his shoes and shredded out of his clothes before Alice had finished locking up the window. She turned to see him standing by her bed, clad in his boxers. He shot a grin in her direction before climbing into her bed. 

"No funny business," she reminded him. 

"I swear, Ace. No funny business," he said, patting the spot beside him. "Now are you gonna get in or are you just gonna stand there all night?" 

She rolled her eyes as she walked over to the empty side. His eyes were shut as he laid in  _her_ room, in _her_ bed, underneath  _her_ sheets like he owned the place, which annoyed her to no end. She reached over and yanked the pillow beneath his head before climbing into the bed and shoving it between them. 

"Don't cross over to my side," she instructed, turning so that she was facing away from him. 

"Goodnight, Ace."

She could practically feel the smile in his voice, but to her surprise, FP kept his promise and didn't make a move to cross over to her side. She felt the tension in her body slowly dissipate and after hearing the soft snores coming from beside her, she found herself finally drifting off to sleep.


End file.
